It was one of the most consequential debates in parliamentary history.

Indeed, the grave subject of whether to hand control of the Brexit process to those seeking to avoid no deal appeared to weigh particularly heavily on the shoulders of ultra-Conservative lawmaker Jacob Rees-Mogg, who spent a significant portion of the time slouched on the government front bench.

The leader of the House of Commons was heavily criticised by fellow MPs, who accused him of showing contempt for parliament as he reclined on the green benches.

“Now, there’s been a lot of talk about democracy tonight and the Leader of the House, who – I have to say – with his body language throughout this evening has been so contemptuous of this house and of the people,” said the Green party MP, Caroline Lucas, as other MPs shouted at him to sit up.

UK minister Jacob Rees-Mogg’s style guide for staff: address men as ‘esquire’

She added, for the benefit of parliament’s written record, that Rees-Mogg had been “spread across three seats, lying out as if that was something very boring to listen to tonight”.

The Labour MP, Anna Turley, called Rees-Mogg’s slouching the “physical embodiment of arrogance, entitlement, disrespect and contempt for our parliament”.